Telecom Italia (TIM), Thursday announced that it has partnered with satellite TV provider, Sky to offer IPTV services to its broadband customers. The partnership will enable the Italian service provider to offer the 'first' quadruple play service in Italy, integrating landline and mobile services, broadband and ultra-broadband connectivity and premium television content available “anytime and anywhere” on all Internet-connected devices. The five years agreement between the two companies will see the largest service provider in Italy distribute the satellite broadcaster’s content to fixed and mobile devices over TIM’s infrastructure.
As for Sky, the partnership helps to extend its pay TV scope to reach out to a wider population, for example, those prospects who reside in the city centers of the many Italian art cities and cannot install the satellite dish and therefore access Italy's best TV offer.
According to TIM, the TIM - Sky joint offer will be available for TIM’s private customers with a fibre-optic connection from 30 to 100 Mbit/s and 20 Mbit/s ADS, bringing more than 150 channels, with HD quality (about 60 HD channels and one 3D channel) and innovative features from Sky On Demand, the video-library with more than 2.500 titles to be watched at any time. The IPTV service also brings all the other My Sky HD features including the ability to record programs, pause a live show or rewind a scene.
Marco Patuano, CEO, Telecom Italia
We are convinced that this strategic deal is an important driver for the development of the new ultra-broadband networks and of the innovative technologies that are at the core of our business plan featuring more than 5 billion euros investments for the three years period 2015-2017. We are particularly pleased with this partnership as it allows our customers to access exclusive and high quality content thanks to Telecom Italia’s technological expertise and Sky’s editorial richness
Andrea Zappia, CEO, Sky Italia
This partnership is an example of how two leading companies, that have always been investing in innovation, can join together to create something that until recently was not even possible in Italy, therefore boosting demand, so far only potential, for quality pay TV also through ultra-broadband - said - From now on Telecom Italia’s fibre will bring all the richness of content and the excellence of Sky’s viewing experience, with HD, on demand, Restart, My Sky features, into the houses of millions of Italian families who, for various reasons, could not install a dish.
